Nick of Islands on stage w/ Mister Heavenly (more by Graeme Flegeheimer)

Islands will release their new album A Sleep & A Forgetting this February 14th via Anti-Records..., this time band leader Nick Thorburn has infused the songs with a personal introspection that gives the record a new and powerful emotional resonance.

"This album is far more personal than any I've made before," Thorburn explains. "I left New York after the end of a relationship and came to Los Angeles. There was a piano where I was staying and that's where I wrote these songs. This record deals with loss, with memory and forgetting and with dreaming. I started writing it on Valentine's Day and it's coming out on Valentine's Day."

Though Nick Thorburn has made multiple appearances lately (10/18 at Union Hall, a 10/21 day party at Fontana's, a DJ slot at Creators Project), Islands played just a single CMJ show which was on 10/22 at Dominion Theater and Lounge (428 Lafayette Street)...

...at Dominion NY, the sign outside promises an "Intimate Evening with Islands"; the venue isn't lying. The basement doesn't seat more than one hundred; it's dimly lit, and barely anyone in the audience is talking. In addition, I am sitting uncomfortably close ("intimately close," even) to the stage.

While the rest of the band is dressed in black sports coats and black pants, Nick Thorburn is dressed in a light blue jacket and light-colored pants. He is clearly the star of the show. (None of the band members from the last time I saw them in 2008 are on stage here.)

Islands performs nine or ten songs from their new album, which Thorburn shares will be out February 2012. Some of the lyrical sentiments of the new songs are nice. At one point, Thorburn croons, "Don't I love you? Isn't the sky grey? Isn't the moon blue?" One of the songs has Geordie Gordon joining Thorburn on the piano playing a doo-wop style melody. To say that Thorburn's side project Mr. Heavenly with Honus Honus of Man Man is an influence on this song is an understatement. At one point, I said (to my notebook), "This sounds like 'Van Helsing Boombox.'"

Islands does break out two old gems: "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby" and "Swans (Life After Death)" from the 2005 album, Return to the Sea. [Evil Monito]

That night, the new LP was the focus of the show and though there is no confirmation of the same at their forthcoming "special intimate seated show" on Friday, October 28th, expect some new jams at least. Comedian Max Silvestri and Mattie Safer (ex-The Rapture) are credited with the assist, and tickets are on sale for Islands' only current tour date.

DOWNLOAD: Alter Ego - Jolly Joker (Supermayer Remix) (MP3)

Moby @ Irving Plaza - Sept 21, 2009 (amaindrault)

A lot of dancing went down last week & weekend but I missed most of it. Hopefully you were able to catch the Rapture at Matchless, Moby at Irving Plaza or Music Hall of Williamsburg, or some of the many other shows & dance parties that happened last week. If not, there are plenty of opportunities to make up for it this week, starting with Thursday (9/23):

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (part 1) "

Dear Fans and friends,

I've been meaning to catch you up on what' s been going on in Rapture world. First off, I'm sad to say that at the begining of April our buddy Mattie Safer decided to leave the band. We are sad to see him go but it seems it is the best for all of us. Since then Luke, Vito and I have been on a creative tear. We've been working out of our little Brooklyn make shift studio, writing, demoing and jamming. I'm pretty damn excited to share the fruits of our labor with you. But its still gonna be a minute before we hit the studio for real. On the other hand, I am very pleased to announce that the people of the great continent of Australia will be some of the first to hear some of our new material live, when we arrive late September for Parklife festival. In the meantime, keep an eye on this blog and another on your neighborhood dance party, who knows maybe we'll be spinnin'.

Lotsa Love,
The Rapture

That message, which we previously posted, was originally blogged by the Rapture on July 14th. The Australian dates they reference kick-off on September 26th, but those down under won't be the first people to hear the new material live. That honor goes to NJ (and Baltimore). The show is September 11th at the Stone Pony. Golden Filter opens. Tickets are on sale. All dates below...

Continue reading "The Rapture (minus Mattie) announce some shows (dates)"

DOWNLOAD: WZRDZ - Junglishious (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Max Pask - I Heart Classics (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Mattie Safer - Feelin Kinda Horny Mix (MP3)

Last week/weekend I slacked off in the going out & dancing department. I missed the People Don't Dance No More Rooftop Disco BBQ which looked great and thankfully will be happening often. Friday night the heat zapped me of all energy and I skipped Tiga...and things continued down that road until Sunday when I finally went out to Studio B to see Vega.

I had just become familiar with Vega's music last week, but generally was into it and eager to see what a live show from them would be like. I wasn't too crazy about the first track they opened with, but they immediately had me with the second, "No Reasons" (video below) which sounded excellent live and is just a great poppy, dance track. Unfortunately after that something turned me off about their set. The songs were in a weird state somewhere between poppy & dancey, that I couldn't get into.

On to this week, beginning with Thursday (5/28):

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (part 1) "